ECLECTIC :

2: Composed of elements drawn from various sources; also: heterogeneous(Definition from Merriam-Webster)

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NCAA and the Big Ten Career TD Record: Montee Ball 83!!

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Get comfy, have a cuppa java, and enjoy my place.

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I Had a Little Contest - - -

.To name my "Grand Old Dame."But you, my bloggy partnersGave her much more than a name,You gave her a poignantstoryAnd one sweet hour of fame.

Thank You

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And Woody Says - - -

Woody Paige puts fun and witty sayings on his chalk board on the ESPN show, "Around the Horn"

Here are my faves from Paige:

* "Don't tell me the sky's the limit when there are footprints on the moon!"

* "Those who throw dirt only lose ground."

* "I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger."

* "The road to success is always under construction."

* "I fish, therefore I lie."

* "Dear Algebra, stop asking us to find your X, she's not coming back and I know Y."

* "Teamwork means never having to take all the blame."

* "I barely survived yesterday and now it's already today!"

* "Do you call Santa's helpers subordinate clauses?"

* "So, how many days DID it take to build Rome?"

* "Cancel my subscription, I'm tired of your issues."

* "Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday."

* "Don't sweat petty things . . . or pet sweaty things"

* "Two wrongs are only the beginning"

* "Worrying works. 90% of the things I worry about never happen."

* "I finally got my head together, and now my body is falling apart."

* "When I'm finally holding all the cards, why does everyone decide to play chess?"

* "Legend: A lie that has the dignity of age."

* "A diamond is forever: The payments are longer."

* "When in doubt, mumble: When in trouble, delegate: When in charge, ponder."

* "I don't have an attitude; I have a personality you can't handle."

* "When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you!"

* "It is better to understand a little than to misunderstand a lot."

* "An eye for an eye leaves the world blind."

* "Sports do not build character, they reveal it!"

* "Dust is a protective coating for fine furniture"

* "I'm in shape - round IS a shape."

* "Money talks, but all mine says is "good-bye."

* "If a pig loses its voice, is it disgruntled?"

* "Love is blind but marriage is a real eye-opener!"

* "A dog has an owner. A cat has a staff"

* "I'd like to have more self-esteem, but I don't deserve it!"

* "Red meat is not bad for you. Fuzzy green meat is."

* "Nothing is fool proof to a talented fool."

* "Bacteria - the back door of a cafeteria."

* "Nostalgia isn't what it used to be."

* "Stressed spelled backwards is desserts."

* "As I said before, I never repeat myself."

* "Corduroy pillows: they're making headlines!"

* "Young at heart, slightly older in other places."

* "(I'm) proof that evolution can go in reverse"

* "My reality check bounced"

* "If you choke a Smurf, what color does it turn?"

* "I hate people who steal my ideas before I think of them."

* "I was uncool before uncool was cool."

* "Middle age: When your age starts to show around your middle"

* "Do not disturb, I'm already disturbed."

* "If an open door is ajar, is an open jar adoor?"

* "March Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change."

* "Telepath Wanted: You know where to apply!"

* "The information went data way"

* "I'm bilingual - I speak English and SMACK!"

* "Mental floss prevents moral decay."

* "Why use a big word when a diminutive one will do?"

* "Why is abbreviation such a long word?"

* "I can see clearly now, the brain is gone."

* "Every morning is the dawn of a new error"

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Quotes of Note

You're born a male but you have to CHOOSE to be a man" - Herm Edwards

"I mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that" - Unknown

"They err who think Santa Clause comes down through the chimney; he really enters through the heart." - Mrs. Paul M. Ell

"Thankfully, our true roots are in heritage and not things. I just need to keep reminding myself that things are only reminders of heritage." - Keetha Broyles, June 21, 2010

"Tears lubricate the soul." - from "Finding Buck McHenry"

"Somehow you must come to understand that God is love, that love is the proof of God, and forgiveness is the proof of love." - The Priest in "Levi's Will" by W. Dale Cramer

"The truth about a man is in what he does, not what he says." - W. Dale Cramer in "Levi's Will"

"Fairy Tales are more than true; not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." - G. K. Chesterton

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Bloggy Awards

From Debbie at "There's an Angel on my Porch"

Created by Shannon

From Shannon

From Cry

From Debby at "Just Breathe"

From Carol at "Old Glory Cottage"

From Lori E at "Family Trees May Contain Nuts"

From Molly, Vivienne, and Mub

From Kyooty and Lori R at "Altered Glass"

From Vivienne at "The V Spot"

From Grace at "Growing Old With Grace, Lynn at "It's a July Thing", and Joycee at "Granny Mountain"

MY ANCIENT BLOG

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

I've Been Poisoned by a Parsnip!!!

Warning!! Warning!! Warning!!! This post may in some parts resemble a medical journal. Peruse it at your own risk, we do not provide a life guard.

But DO skip down to read the last couple of paragraphs to SAVE yourself from my fate or even worse.

The other day when I was sooooo proud of myself for taking a long arduous hike over hill and down into dale through tall grasses and wild flowers with Sister Pam, Cousin Doug, and Dad, little did I realize I was going to have a long lasting side-effect.

Seems there is this innocent looking plant with a rather pretty flower. It is NOT however innocent in the least. It is subtly sabotaging you as you pass by. It's called wild parsnip and it's an invasive species which is proliferating in American fields and woods.

(Just like kudzu, Dr. LaBar - - - you taught me about invasive species with kudzu!)

We literally wallowed in it on our walk.

I had never heard of it before, so did not know I was sitting with the enemy!!!

Perhaps this sign would have BETTER warned me that the alien was lurking very near by.

Seems that exposure to the oils of wild parsnip does not cause an immediate problem, so one innocently continues on one's way oblivious to the fact that doom is looming.

Once the oils are on the skin, and then the oiled skin is exposed to sunlight the damage begins. The combo of light and oil causes a condition known as phytophotodermatitis. (fi-to-fo-to-dermatitis) Literally after exposure to U-V rays from the sun, the nasty old parsnip oil BURNS your skin. This is NOT an allergic reaction so everyone can be burned by the parsnip. I guess you could say it is an "equal opportunity poisoner."

The result resembles a poison ivy rash, and is often confused for poison ivy, though the blisters are more pronounced and tend to follow straight line paths. It does not itch severely as does a poison ivy reaction, instead it burns.

These blisters do not appear until 24 to 48 hours AFTER exposure. If one is CLEVER and rushes to a shower or sink and thoroughly rinses the exposed area with soap and water immedaitely after exposure and before encountering U-V rays, one may avoid the burning all together.

Sister Pam was that CLEVER. When we stopped for lunch, she went into the restaurant restroom and rinsed. She is pretty much burn free.

Her less clever elder sister is not.

On Friday afternoon, a mere 24 hours after our walk, I just thought I had scratched my legs in the long grass and thistles, though I DID note that the scratches felt strangely like sunburn.

I took this picture to post with some semi-witty caption like, "This is what the SENIOR CITIZEN gets for attempting to hike through tall grasses."

Ha-ha - - - the last laugh is on me!!!

This is my right ankle 4 days after exposure. It still feels like a mild sunburn. I've been reading and researching to see what I should do about this. I ain't very happy about what I find.

Left ankle four days post exposure. These blisters are smaller, but then they didn't even BEGIN to form until 24 hours after those on the other leg, so I suppose they still have time to catch up.

What I'm LEARNING about these burns is they will take 2 to 4 weeks to heal and even after that will quite probably leave a dark red or brownish scar for up to two years!!!

My vanity is quite crushed.

About all I can do for it is treat it like a sunburn. Fisherhubby did put me on a prednisone course as if he were treating poison ivy, but I dont' have much hope that it will work since this is NOT an allergic reaction but a chemical burn. I'm using aloe vera and cortisone cream to control the burning, slightly itchy symptoms.

Wild Parsley is related to Queen Anne's lace and the flower resembles it a lot, only it is a pale yellow-green color.

If you see it on your daily walk - - - or your weekly walk - - - or your annual walk - - - pass right on by!!! AND just for safety's sake, the INSTANT you get home, shower off for goodness sakes!!!

Furthermore, if you have some of this stuff growing in your ditch or your field or your yard and you wish to get RID of it - - - for HEAVEN'S SAKE wear long pants and long sleeves and gloves. And, be sure to SHOWER immediately after stripping out of and burning those nasty old clothes!!! Well - - - I don't mean you need to indulge in naked burning - - - but you get the idea.

26 comments:

I stay out of weeds. Hubby, however, always finds his way into them somehow. He does make it a point though to always wear long pants when working in the weedy areas. It's hard to wear long sleeves in the summer months though so sometimes his arms take a beating.

Di(sorry to see you are having this experience as it does not look like much fun.)

I wonder if this plant grows in PA? I've never noticed it, but a friend of mine, after horseback riding, developed blisters like that on her arm. She assumed it was poison ivy but she said it was odd in that it didn't itch. It sure looks like what you have.Those football sandals are cute on your feet!Cathy

Keetha, I had no idea about this stuff! I'm battling poison ivy in my yard and trying to avoid getting the rash again like last summer. I've seen that wild parsley before. You're giving me the heebie jeebies just thinking about coming in contact with this stuff. But I must say your pedicure looks fantastic, and I love those sandals!

Holy smokes! That's the strangest thing I've heard of in a long time. I'm so sorry that happened to you.

One way I've found to get rid of burn scars is to put vitamin E on them. I get the caplets, puncture them and spread the gooey oil all over the scar. It takes a while for it to sink in, so don't plan on crawling right into bed after you put it on :)

That looks terrible! I had a bad case of chigger bites last year and after being in any "brush" for any length of time, I go home and take a long shower. Also, I'm allergic to poison ivy so, that's beneficial too. I've seen that wild parsnip out and about! Yikes! I hope you heal quickly!

Today I think you need to change the "witty banter" to "abject sympathy". Man that stuff looks nasty, and the plant looks so much like Queen Anne's lace---at least what I can spot from here. Just another great reason to resist venturing into the tall grass. Woodticks live there too.

Oh, my friend, I am so sorry! I'll bet that feels awful! I have never heard of this before. I bet that lots of people just think they have poison ivy. Thanks for sharing this info with the rest of us! And, hope you feel better quick!

Girl, I'm scanning the yard to see if we have any lurking out there ready to spread its *ill-natured* nastiness on us (being I thought it was immature Queen Anne's Lace too). Argh! Hope you feel better soon.

Come now, come now. Soon be better. But I have to say, the sign DID say "Hikers Only" and who was not dressed up as one?

As for the scars that might persist ..... you could dine out on this for weeks. Maybe even have a new career as an after dinner speaker. Surely such an accomplished writer as you can think of some armed-to-the-teeth jungle adventure to cover it?

I agree with you about the meds though. We have some stuff over here called calamine Lotion, which you dab on as often as you like - takes the heat right out of sunburn. It's simply a question of not caring about the pinkish white powdery splodges.